


Fire, Fire

by for_the_love_of_wolves



Series: Agents Of Shield - AU August [3]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Firefighters, Angst, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Pining, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-15
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:01:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,227
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25923274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/for_the_love_of_wolves/pseuds/for_the_love_of_wolves
Summary: Phil and Melinda are firefighters. They have been a great team for a long time, and Phil was close to admitting his feelings to Melinda, but then a tragedy happened and changed everything (Written for AU August Day Fifteen: Firefighter AU).
Relationships: Phil Coulson/Melinda May
Series: Agents Of Shield - AU August [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1868203
Comments: 12
Kudos: 32





	Fire, Fire

**Author's Note:**

> Tw for mentions of a child dying in a fire.

Melinda May reappears in the fire department on a bright summer Sunday, her expression determined, her steps firm. 

A few firefighters stop talking or cleaning the fire trucks and stare after her. Melinda ignores them and walks right into the locker room. She opens her locker and starts to put her boots on. Her lips are a thin, grim line. 

Phil finds her there. To see her is a surprise. She has been away for so long. Has been put on desk duty for almost half a year. 

She doesn’t look up when Phil opens his own locker, looking at her from the side. “So, are you back?” He asks, trying to sound as casual as possible. 

Melinda slams the locker shut and nods curtly. “Yes. I am back.” 

Phil smiles. “I’m glad.” 

Melinda looks at him and gives him a small smile back. It’s something. It makes Phil feeling warmer.

It hasn’t been the same here without Melinda. They have been partners for year before … Well, before the fire that changed everything. It was a large fire in a multistory building. The flames spread fast. They tried to get as many people out safe as possible. When they evacuated a woman, she screamed at them that her little girl was still in there. Melinda went in. She found the girl, but couldn’t convince her to come to her. She had to watch her falling as the floor collapsed. Had to hear her last startled yelp. 

Melinda almost jumped after the girl and was hurt in the process. She struggled and cried when they pulled her out. Phil has never seen her so out of control. 

It took her long to recover. Phil knows she went to therapy sessions. He tried to talk to her a few times. Tried, to be there for her. He had feelings for her before the fire, and was preparing the right words to tell her. But after … It seemed like there were no right words. Melinda sent him away so often. She isolated herself. Phil mostly let her. Everyone deals with trauma differently. 

But … He has been quietly mourning their relationship. His feelings. His hopes.  
  
Melinda is different now. 

Trauma changes people. 

Phil knows Melinda will never forgive herself for not being able to save the little girl. 

* * *

Phil and Melinda have a few operations together. None of them involve fire. 

He has the feeling, they are slowly reconnecting. Melinda talks less now, but she listens to him without seeming annoyed. Once, they have a coffee together and she even laughs. 

Phil is glad to have her back. To be able to watch her. They work well together like they did before. They are a great team. 

Then, they are called to a fire. A big one. 

Phil watches Melinda on the ride there. She sits in the truck tense, looking outside with firm eyes. Phil knows everyone is aware of her experiences and everyone is ready to go inside for her. But she is Melinda May. Melinda, who is doing this job because she needs to feel like she’s doing enough. Like she is there to save people. It’s what she devoted her life to. 

When they are standing in front of the burning house, Melinda looks up and sighs.  
  
The flames are dancing high, orange and red. The smoke is thick, the air already difficult to breathe in. They go to the truck and prepare. 

A woman comes screaming, her eyes filled with terror. “Please! My son, he is still in there! His room is on the second floor. Please hurry!” 

Melinda’s eyes widen slightly and her hand pulling out the mask freezes in the air. Phil sees her taking a few deep breaths. He knows what is going on inside of her. 

“I am going in,” he says, putting on his mask. 

“I’m coming with you,” Melinda says. 

Phil looks at her, frowning slightly. “Are you sure? You don’t have to.” 

Melinda just scowls. When the ladder is adjusted, she climbs on it, never hesitating. Phil follows her. 

Inside, everything is blurry and too hot. 

Phil looks around, knowing they are in a children’s room. Plush toys everywhere, mostly smiling monkeys. Many books about science, some posters of space. 

He looks under the bed on the other side of the room. That’s where most of them hide. 

And there he is. A little boy, maybe eight years old. Wide blue eyes and ruffled curls. He’s coughing. 

“Hey, what is your name, buddy?” Phil says, his voice muffled by the mask. 

“Leo,” the boy whispers, his voice barely audible.  
  
“Okay, Leo. We are going to get you out of here, alright? Don’t worry. Just take my hand.” Phil reaches out. 

The boy swallows. He looks at the hand and flinches, when somewhere, something collapses. “I can’t move,” he grits out. 

Melinda looks under the bed beside Phil, her eyes softening. “It’s just the fear,” she tells the boy. “It’s making you freeze. But you can beat it, I’m sure. You’re stronger than the fear, aren’t you, Leo?” 

The boy looks at her for a moment, then nods carefully. He coughs again and slowly approaches them. 

“Great,” Melinda tells him, reaching out for him with both hands. “You’re doing great, Leo.” 

Phil doesn’t intervene. He just watches as Leo appears and Melinda quickly takes him in her arms, wrapping them around the little body firmly. “I’ve got you,” she whispers. “I’ve got you.”  
  
They quickly exit the room over the ladder, climbing down. Not two minutes later, there are flames coming from Leo’s room too, but the firefighters already begin to extinguish the fire. 

Melinda’s eyes are a bit wet when she carries Leo to his mum. The boy is holding on to her firmly, his face hidden in the crook of Melinda’s neck. His mum reaches for him, crying. “Thank you,” she says breathlessly. “God. Thank you!” 

Melinda smiles and hands Leo to her. “He should be checked out by the paramedics. You have a very brave boy.”  
  
“Thank you,” Leo’s mother says again, tears running over her face. She goes over to the ambulance, mumbling soft words to Leo, who waves at Melinda. 

She waves back and Phil stands beside her, smiling. “You saved him.”  
  
Melinda’s smile falters a bit. “Yes. Him. But … Not everyone.” Pain makes her eyes bright. She lowers her head.

Phil lays his hand on her shoulder. His heart aches for her. “Mel ... We can’t change the past. But we can make the most out of the future. What happened wasn’t your fault, you know that. And I know that you feel guilty, and it’s not going to go away fast. Not tomorrow, nor in a few weeks. But maybe, if you talk about it, it’s going to be easier to bear?” He clears his throat. “You could talk to me.” 

Melinda looks at him for a moment. “Thank you, Phil,” she says softly. “I really appreciate it.”  
  
Phil nods. “Coffee, tomorrow afternoon?” He asks.

“Gladly,” Melinda says. And when he starts to take his hand away, she reaches out to put her hand on his, to keep it there a moment longer. 

Phil thinks that maybe, his hopes don’t have to vanish. They just have to wait and see. To be patient. 

Maybe, they will find their way to each other after all. 

**Author's Note:**

> I always love to hear what you are thinking about the story! ❤
> 
> Say hi on [Tumblr](https://for-the-love-of-wolves.tumblr.com/)  
> :)


End file.
